Child Birth Preparation
~ Why And How

Child birth preparation is an important thing to do if you want to have a smooth labor and birth. Ironically, most women are slack in this area despite the fact that birth is one of the largest event in a woman's life.

I find that women often put the minimum amount of energy to prepare for birth and hope that everything will go smoothly. However, "hope" is not the best way to approach for labor and birth. Smoothness in labor and birth process is largely influenced by how good you prepare for it.

Think of childbirth as a marathon. If you were a marathon athlette, you wouldn't dream to go into a competition without a proper preparation, right ? Why would you do anything differently with a childbirth ?

A good child birth preparation is even more important if you are aiming for a natural birth . Not only you have to prepare your body for birth through exercise and proper diet. You also have to set up an ideal environment for you to give birth naturally. In other words, you have to be proactive and take charge of your birth.

Here are the list of things that you have to do for your child birth preparation:

• Read pregnancy books and books about childbirth ... and read lots of it.
  The most powerful child birth preparation, in my opinion is proper education. The easiest and cheapest way to achieve this is by reading childbirth books. What I mean by childbirth books here doesn't mean reading countless of birth brochure or phamplets handed out at your physician's office. Instead, aim to read books on natural childbirth and midwifery, because these books are the most valuable of all childbirth books.
  
  
• Attend childbirth classes
  There are lots of childbirth education class around. My advice is to stay away from classes sponsored by hospital or physicians. Find an independent childbirth educator whose class is focused on natural birth. You will find a lot of helpful information in this kind of classes.
  
  
• Watch natural child birth videos
  If you are on natural childbirh education class, usually the childbirth educator will have several natural childbirth videos, including homebirth videos and water birth videos to show during class time. Ask whether you can borrow them. I also find that birth centers usually have childbirth library where you can borrow both videos and books on childbirth. Unfortunately, such library is only available for birth center clients.
  
  
• Go to your prenatal visit or check up regularly
  
  
  
• Prenatal diet
  Eating a balance meal while at the same time avoiding harmful substances and drugs, is what is generally recommended for pregnant moms. On top of that, I would like to add that you will need more protein than usual for both pregnancy and birth.And to drink plenty of water.
  
  
• Prenatal exercise
  The aim of having prenatal exercises is to prepare your body for birth. For instance, Kegel exercise is good for preparing the muscles in the birth canal for birth. You can learn about prenatal exercise through books, childbirth education class or by joining local prenatal exercise course. The most famous prenatal exercise course is yoga course for pregnant moms.

Homebirth Preparation

If you do your homework carefully, you will find that home is an ideal place to be to give birth naturally. And that a midwife is the birth attendant you want to have to help you with the labor and birth.

Homebirth preparation is not different from any other child birth preparation. You have to read books on childbirth, attend a childbirth education class, watch homebirth videos, do prenatal check up, consume good pregnancy diet and do the prenatal exercise.

However, since you are going to have birth at home, you will need to get your own birth supplies towards the end of pregnancy and prepare your home for birth.

*NOTE: Do you want to get more tips and techniques for having natural birth? Then subscribe to our FREE monthly newsletter, "Born Naturally" and receive a FREE "Pregnancy Diet Secret" ebook.

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Related articles

• Why choose homebirth, part 1 and part 2
• How to ensure home birth safety
• Who can or can't have a midwifery home birth ?
• Home birth risk factors, what are they ?
• How much does a homebirth cost ?
• Birth supplies - everything you need for your birth.
• What Is A Midwife.
• Child birth preparation - preparing for natural birth.

Other birth setting

• Giving birth at hospital
• Giving birth at a birthing center

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